Mark IIC+ Tips

Mark IIC+ amps don't have presence shift. That is a Mark IV feature and the USA Lead models do have presence shift. The TriAxis presence circuit is totally different. The typical presence circuit on most tube amps is a filtered negative feedback loop in the power amp section. Since the TriAxis is a preamp and has no power section, the high frequency shelving had to be recreated with a different type of preamp circuit.

Check out the new IIC++ model in Quantum 3.03 as well for another IIC+ flavor. Sounds great.
 
mr_fender said:
Mark IIC+ amps don't have presence shift. That is a Mark IV feature and the USA Lead models do have presence shift. The TriAxis presence circuit is totally different. The typical presence circuit on most tube amps is a filtered negative feedback loop in the power amp section. Since the TriAxis is a preamp and has no power section, the high frequency shelving had to be recreated with a different type of preamp circuit.

Check out the new IIC++ model in Quantum 3.03 as well for another IIC+ flavor. Sounds great.
Click to expand...

I realize and know that. The IIC++ sounds great. But I was saying it would be cool to have a FAS Hybrid Amp model that has the presence shift for those people who want that JP2C.
 
from the manual:

The PULL PRES feature located on the PRESENCE control allows two very different Presence frequencies to be selected. When PULLED, the time-honored frequency we have used for 45 years appears, which allows control over a much higher range of top end than that of the TREBLE control. When left PUSHED-IN, the PRESENCE control operates on a lower frequency that is still above the TREBLE, but adds “increased cut and focus” lower than the traditional PRESENCE that in some applications can sound more cohesive for high gain Crunch rhythm sounds.

i'm sure you could just boost a high frequency that sounds good to you.
 
Chris@AxeFxTutorials said:
from the manual:

The PULL PRES feature located on the PRESENCE control allows two very different Presence frequencies to be selected. When PULLED, the time-honored frequency we have used for 45 years appears, which allows control over a much higher range of top end than that of the TREBLE control. When left PUSHED-IN, the PRESENCE control operates on a lower frequency that is still above the TREBLE, but adds “increased cut and focus” lower than the traditional PRESENCE that in some applications can sound more cohesive for high gain Crunch rhythm sounds.

i'm sure you could just boost a high frequency that sounds good to you.
Click to expand...


You know after reading that over and over again...I've realised I've already got it. "PULLED, the time-honored frequency we have used for 45 years appears" Ohhhh how stupid I feel.
 
Hi all,

I just watched this video and did my best to recreate the tone. I followed the advice in this thread for the basic setup. Do you all have any advice on how you would make this awesome guitar tone?

 
FractalAudio said:
There's been a lot of complaining about the Mark IIC+ models. So I begrudgingly dragged the amp out of storage today (as it weighs a metric ton) and repeated the measurements and did some A/B tests. As expected the models are extremely accurate.

That being said it is a bear to dial in. Here are some tips:

1. The old version of the model incorrectly referenced the Mark IV tone stack. These tone stacks are identical except for the taper of the mid pot. The IIC+ has a linear pot and the Mark IV has a Log10 pot. I had it backwards in my earlier comments. My guess is that Mesa found that turning the midrange down sounds best (and it does) so they changed the pot taper to do this automatically since noon on a Log10 pot is equal to a 1.0 on a linear pot.

2. Commensurate with (1) I found myself turning the midrange down as well as the bass and turning the treble up.

3. I think the default Master Volume value is a bit high so you may want to turn that down. I've reduced the default for Quantum 2.03.

4. Turn the bright switch on. Every bit of information I've found says that people typically used the Pull Bright on the Volume knob. This is equivalent to the Bright switch under the Treble control on the model. I always turn it on and I've set it on by default for Q2.03.

5. USE THE EQ. The tone stack is pre-distortion which is atypical for a high-gain amp. Tone stacks are almost always post-distortion. Since the tone stack is pre-distortion you need to do your post distortion tone shaping using the EQ. The tone controls set the feel and the distortion texture, the EQ shapes the final tone. I like to do a gentle V-curve.

These were my settings for a killer high-gain tone:
Model: USA IIC+
Input Drive: 8.1
Overdrive: 9-10
Bass: 1.0
Midrange: 1.8
Treble: 8.9
Presence: 4.5
MV: 4.0
Level: -20 dB
Bright Switch ON
80 Hz: 4.8
240 Hz: 2.6
750 Hz: -4.5
2200: -0.2
6600: 0
Click to expand...

I guess that the speaker resonance parameters are modeled efter a EVM or something ?
I usually try to make them more like a on the marhsall models. Since I usually prefere the sound of celestion equipped cabs. I actually makes a big difference in the sound of a preset.
 
Thomas Larsson said:
I guess that the speaker resonance parameters are modeled efter a EVM or something ?
I usually try to make them more like a on the marhsall models. Since I usually prefere the sound of celestion equipped cabs. I actually makes a big difference in the sound of a preset.
Click to expand...

Thomas, while I don't know the answer regarding the speaker resonance info, although I'd guess with high probability that could be true, with the EVM as one of the premier speaker upgrades when ordering a IIC(+). That is one of the upgrades I ordered on mine, so many, many years ago. ;) My co-guitarist ordered his with the "basic" option, which I seem to recall was a "Black Shadow", and it felt like it was closer to a celestion in it's sound. Cheers.
 
FractalAudio said:
There's been a lot of complaining about the Mark IIC+ models. So I begrudgingly dragged the amp out of storage today (as it weighs a metric ton) and repeated the measurements and did some A/B tests. As expected the models are extremely accurate.

That being said it is a bear to dial in. Here are some tips:

1. The old version of the model incorrectly referenced the Mark IV tone stack. These tone stacks are identical except for the taper of the mid pot. The IIC+ has a linear pot and the Mark IV has a Log10 pot. I had it backwards in my earlier comments. My guess is that Mesa found that turning the midrange down sounds best (and it does) so they changed the pot taper to do this automatically since noon on a Log10 pot is equal to a 1.0 on a linear pot.

2. Commensurate with (1) I found myself turning the midrange down as well as the bass and turning the treble up.

3. I think the default Master Volume value is a bit high so you may want to turn that down. I've reduced the default for Quantum 2.03.

4. Turn the bright switch on. Every bit of information I've found says that people typically used the Pull Bright on the Volume knob. This is equivalent to the Bright switch under the Treble control on the model. I always turn it on and I've set it on by default for Q2.03.

5. USE THE EQ. The tone stack is pre-distortion which is atypical for a high-gain amp. Tone stacks are almost always post-distortion. Since the tone stack is pre-distortion you need to do your post distortion tone shaping using the EQ. The tone controls set the feel and the distortion texture, the EQ shapes the final tone. I like to do a gentle V-curve.

These were my settings for a killer high-gain tone:
Model: USA IIC+
Input Drive: 8.1
Overdrive: 9-10
Bass: 1.0
Midrange: 1.8
Treble: 8.9
Presence: 4.5
MV: 4.0
Level: -20 dB
Bright Switch ON
80 Hz: 4.8
240 Hz: 2.6
750 Hz: -4.5
2200: -0.2
6600: 0
Click to expand...

Wish you would post more suggested settings like this. These settings are freaking great!
 
So glad I found this thread, have been struggling get remotely usable from the Mark IIC+ amps and these settings kicks ass!
 
Since this was recently bumped I'll throw in my 2 cent's worth. Ditch the 5 band EQ and put in the 11 band EQ instead, which will greatly enhance the power of the EQ to tweak your tone to a level of perfection that angers the gods. Or even better...put in an outboard FX loop block and patch in a real 31 band EQ. I like my Alesis DEQ230. With such a precision tool at my disposal, I can tweak the tone in ways you don't even know needs to be done until you try it.
 
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